El Paso-Gridley and Monmouth-Roseville each advanced a trio of wrestlers to the state finals, leading nine Journal Star-area schools that combined to qualify 15 entries into the Feb. 20-22 battle for medals at the State Farm Center in Champaign.

EP-G got sectional championships from junior Hunter Sant Amour at 170 pounds and classmate Tristun Reeves at 220. The two Titan titlist were joined on the medal stand by junior Gabe McKinley, third at 145.

M-R senior Justin Kinney (37-2), a three-year state qualifier, was the only other JS-area champ. Kinney used a reversal with 25 seconds remaining to pull out a 7-5 victory against Peoria Heights sophomore Tanner Coleman in the 120-pound title bout.

“I saw an opening and I took it,” said Kinney, who lost 13-3 to Coleman in the regular season.

Said Coleman: “I just battled all tournament and it came down to the last couple seconds. I wanted to get it, but in the end I’m still happy with my finish.”

Monmouth-Roseville also picked up a second from freshman Dalton Willett at 138 and a third from Logan Millizer at 182. The No. 5 ranked Willett went for a takedown against No. 10 Tyler Bergstrahl of Prairie Central and fell into a pin 1:33 into the match.

“I knew he was a big, strong guy,” Willett said. “ I put myself in that position ... maybe he saw it coming. Probably shouldn’t have gone for it, but I went for it and got caught on my back and got pinned. It happens.”

Sant Amour (34-4), ranked No. 4, snapped a 2-2 with a three-point near fall just into the third period and defeated No. 8 Caleb Wilson of LeRoy 5-3 in the finals.

“I already knew I was going to state, so it really wasn’t that important, but it feels good,” Sant Amour said. “Now I’m going to get a better (draw) at state and it feels good to know that.”

Reeves, who had to wrestle up at 220 in the postseason after missing the 195-pound cutoff by one-tenth of a pound, earned a 3-1 overtime win with a takedown of LeRoy’s fifth-ranked Ty Sandy just into the sudden victory session.

“I felt like he was tired so I just took the shot and hoped for it,” Reeves (35-2) said.

The only other area wrestler in a title bout was No. 7 Olympia senior Chase Thurman (32-5), who lost 6-2 to Prairie Central’s No. 6 Sam Schuler for the second consecutive week.

“I wrestled as hard as I could, it just wasn’t enough today,” said Thurman. “I’ll see him again next week.”

Page 2 of 2 - Dee-Mack senior Taylor Thomas (27-8) became the first Chiefs wrestler to advance to state.

Thomas just missed a shot at the 145-pound title, but lost a 6-5 semifinal decision when he was denied back points after a takedown just before time expired. The Dee-Mack senior won a 3-1 decision in the consolation semifinals, before finishing fourth to El Paso-Gridley’s Gabe McKinley.

“I’m excited to be the first to go for the team, but a little disappointed in how I wrestled the last match,” said Thomas, who fell behind 5-0 after one period.

Illini Bluffs moved on junior Jake Worms (third at 120) and sophomore Luke Roach (fourth at 126). Roach qualified, thanks to a 9-8 overtime win in the consolation semifinals.

AROUND THE MAT: Farmington senior Brenden Jostes advanced for the second consecutive year (fourth at 285). Also moving on were Iley Markham of Olympia (third at 138), Cole Lenington of Tremont (fourth at 160) and Tyler Arnold of Macomb (fourth at 170).

Stan Morris can be reached at 686-3214 or smorris@pjstar.com.Follow him on Twitter @stanmorrispjs